“We can't live in a reality where kids, women, men, children have 15 seconds to run to shelter hoping that an iron dome would protect them,” Cohen said.

The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati estimated that at least 100 Tri-State residents were in Israel when the violence escalated.

Gaza militants have reportedly fired hundreds of rockets into Israel over the past few days.

The minister of defense warned the offensive against Hamas could last a while.

It was an unnerving reality for Rachel and Nina Schneider, two Walnut Hill graduates who have been living in Israel for a few years and have even become Israeli citizens and served in the Israel Defense Forces.

“We've had one fired so far last night. It makes us really aware of our surroundings like I was at the gym today and they already posted a sign on where the closest bomb shelter was,” Rachel Schneider said via Skype.

Israeli leaders were signaling that a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip could be quickly approaching. Israel’s intelligence minister told Israel Radio that his country “will have to take over Gaza temporarily.”